1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a simulation apparatus, a simulation method and a computer-readable recording medium having a simulation program recorded thereon as well as a designing supporting apparatus suitable for use to check the workability when such working as assembly, disassembly or adjustment is performed for a subject designed by physical or mechanical characterization in a virtual three-dimensional space on a computer.
2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, as enhancement in performance of a computer for designing equipments and apparatus and popularization of a design technique which employs a three-dimensional CAD (Computer Aided Design) system have proceeded, a technique of performing inspection and examination of a design subject on a computer in a stage preceding to actual trial production of the design subject by constructing environment in which working such as assembly, disassembly or adjustment for the design subject is virtually performed on the computer has been developed in various places.
Production of three-dimensional model data as designing operation in which such a three-dimensional CAD system as mentioned above is utilized usually requires much time, and upon designing, it is sometimes omitted to incorporate such parts as screws which are prescribed as standards as three-dimensional model data. In such an instance, it is sometimes difficult to incorporate omitted parts in the stage of trial production, and this makes a factor which causes a design miss.
Accordingly, upon production of three-dimensional model data mentioned above, it is required as essential working to incorporate such parts as screws which are prescribed as standards. Also it is required to virtually verify it on a computer prior to actual trial production whether or not working for such a part can actually be performed by a working element such as a tool or a hand of a human being.
Thus, a technique is available which provides environment in which a design subject is virtually produced by trial on a computer and allows a tool model or a human being model for performing working to be handled together with the design subject on the computer. By the technique, reviewing can be performed while working to be performed for the design subject is approximated to an actual working manner.
Such techniques which involve verification of handling of a tool to be used to assemble or disassemble an apparatus/equipment in a virtual three-dimensional space on a computer or a human being who performs working as described above are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 132428/1995, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 185431/1996 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 147166/1997.
The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 132428/1995 relates to an equipment assembling process supporting apparatus. According to the technique, steps when assembling and disassembling operations of an apparatus are performed are determined definitely and types of tools to be used for the individual steps and periods of use of the tools are determined definitely such that the same tool is prevented from being used at a plurality of locations within the same period to reduce the quantity of tools to be used for assembly and disassembly of the equipment.
Meanwhile, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 185431/1996 relates to a designing supporting apparatus. According to the technique, models of parts and tools and/or persons are related to each other using a table for individual design subjects determined for individual assembly lines, and a part name and an assembly line name are inputted to discriminate assembly in which a tool is used or assembly by hand and search for shapes of a tool and a hand or shapes of a part and a hand as elements relating to working whereas a mounting position is inputted to discriminate whether or not assembly is possible from the point of view of human engineering.
The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 147166/1997 relates to an interference checking method and an interference checking apparatus for an assembly tool. According to the technique, all assembling locations of a design subject are detected and tools and metal fittings to be used for assembly are selected based on data outputted from a three-dimensional CAD system, and a list indicating a relationship between the assembly locations and the tools and metal fittings to be used is produced. Then, it is checked whether or not the tools and the parts interfere with each other when the tools are arranged at the assembly locations, and if some trouble occurs, then the assembling order is changed and then checking is performed repetitively.
For example, where the positions of holes formed in two parts which form a design subject are same, the holes are detected as holes to be used for performing assembling operations of the two parts, and tools and metal fittings to be used for such assembly are selected.
However, in such techniques for verification regarding handling of tools to be used and/or human beings who perform working when an apparatus/equipment in a three-dimensional space is to be assembled or disassembled as described above, it is presupposed that they are applied to a subject as a result of completion of designing working, and no verification working is performed in the course of designing (in the designing step on the upstream).
In particular, if such verification is performed for the first time for a result of completed designing, then it is sometimes necessitated to modify the design for a large number of locations. Therefore, there is a subject to be solved in that the working load sometimes becomes higher than that in an alternative case wherein verification is performed in the designing process on the upstream and the designing working is proceeded by suitably modifying the design.
Further, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 132428/1995, a complicated setting work of relating models of parts and tools and/or human beings to each other in accordance with steps of each design subject must be performed in the designing stage by a designer. Accordingly, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 132428/1995 has a subject to be solved also in that an unnecessary working time is assigned to a designer.
Also in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 185431/1996, a complicated setting work of relating models of parts and tools and/or human beings in accordance with an assembly line for each design subject must be performed in the designing stage by a designer. Accordingly, also the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 185431/1996 has a subject to be solved in that an unnecessary working time is assigned to a designer.
Further, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 147166/1997, although, for example, where the positions of holes formed in two parts which form a design subject are same, the holes are detected as holes to be used for performing assembling operations of the two parts based on data outputted from a three-dimensional CAD system, depending upon a design subject, the two holes may not necessarily be holes to be used for performing assembling working of the two parts. Thus, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 147166/1997 has a subject to be solved in that it does not correctly reflect assembling and disassembling works of an actual apparatus.
Further, in the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 147166/1997, since the relationship of assembling locations to tools and metal fittings to be used are determined uniquely and, when interference occurs upon assembly from the relationships, only the assembling order is taken into consideration, there is no room to select assembly parts or tools in accordance with working environment, and even a design subject which allows assembly depending upon selection of assembly parts or tools is sometimes determined that it does not allow assembly.